Crime
Parents Charged After 3-Year-Old Dies in Accidental Shooting Inside Vehicle in Mebane
MEBANE, N.C. — Authorities have formally charged the parents of a 3-year-old child who tragically died earlier this month after an accidental firearm discharge inside a vehicle, Mebane police announced on Wednesday, May 29.
Kaitlyn and Michael Hatch are each facing charges of storage of firearms to protect minors, following the fatal incident that occurred on Tuesday, May 7, around 7:55 p.m.
Police say the shooting took place near the intersection of West Lee Street and South First Street in Mebane.
According to investigators, officers arrived at the scene to find a critically injured child inside a vehicle.
The child had suffered a gunshot wound from a firearm that discharged within the car.
Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, the child was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
“This is a heartbreaking loss,” Mebane Police said in a statement. “We recognize the deep impact this has on our community and remain committed to uncovering the full facts with diligence, care, and transparency.”
Court documents related to the case allege that both parents unlawfully stored a firearm in a manner accessible to an unsupervised minor, leading to the child gaining access to the weapon without parental permission and causing death.
The legal filing further states that the firearm was not stored in a secure condition and that the parents knew or should have known the potential risk.
Both Kaitlyn and Michael Hatch are scheduled to appear in court on July 3 as the investigation continues.
Police and child safety advocates are urging all gun owners to ensure that firearms are safely stored, especially in households and vehicles where children are present.
Authorities have identified the man shot and killed Friday afternoon in a parking lot outside a Little Caesars restaurant in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
The victim has been named as Stevens Jeffrey, 29, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The shooting occurred in the 2600 block of West Cermak Road near Rockwell Street at approximately 1:10 p.m., according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Preliminary reports indicate that Jeffrey was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by an unknown vehicle.
An armed individual exited that vehicle and opened fire, striking Jeffrey multiple times in the face and body.
Emergency responders arrived on the scene, where Jeffrey was pronounced dead. He was discovered inside his vehicle with his two young children, ages 4 and 6, who were unharmed.
Both children were transported to Stroger Hospital for precautionary evaluation.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a Little Caesars restaurant, where investigators recovered multiple shell casings and placed numerous evidence markers on the ground.
As of Friday evening, no suspects are in custody, and detectives from the CPD Area Four Homicide Unit are leading the investigation. Police have not released information on a possible motive.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about this homicide to contact Chicago Police or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTip.com.